


Little Little

by ReadyPlayerMic



Category: One Piece
Genre: Death by gunshot, Female Mentors, Keeping Promises, Minor canon divergence, Multi, love of the sea, parental abandonment, reader is a bounty hunter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-20
Updated: 2019-09-14
Packaged: 2019-11-26 06:37:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18177158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReadyPlayerMic/pseuds/ReadyPlayerMic
Summary: It might not be today, it definitely won’t be tomorrow - but one of these days, you will be the one to bring down Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw-hat Pirates.No matter how adamant he is about getting you to join his crew.Gender Neutral Reader/Monkey D. Luffy.





	1. The start of something new

Though it’s been many years since the death of the Pirate King Gold Roger, his final words still managed to captivate the masses. “My treasure? If you want it, you can have it... Search for it! I left everything in the world there.” The Marines were left incapable of dealing with the sheer number of people fleeing for a life on the sea, they needed outside help. The bounty hunting system was created, a way to outsource workers for their cause, lured by the promises of money and fame.

It’s a system you knew worked, considering you’d seen it with your own eyes. When you were at the tender age of seven, your parents took you to the coast for the first time. You’d stood on the sand, the cool ocean water lapping at your ankles and the summer sun beating down on you, entranced. The sight of the waves crashing against the coast, the colour of it all - it was one of the most beautiful things you’d ever seen.

You completely missed the pirate ship that pulled into dock. However your parents did not. They attempted to coax you from the ocean’s edge, and with extreme reluctance (and the promise of treats) you let them. It was only when you were walking back into the heart of the coastal town did you speak.  
“What does that flag mean?” You asked, pointing one of your small hands towards the ship, the black and white flag at its highest point, flapping in the cool breeze.

“That someone not nice has turned up.” Your mother answered, her face pulled tight. You didn’t know why, at the time.

“That we all might be in danger.” Your father added. Your heart quickened.

“What?” You questioned, voice soft, and your mother scolded your father for scaring you but you were soon to see the truth of their statements.

Your parents wanted to leave immediately, but you complained. You insisted the trio of you stay, at least for lunch before heading on the long journey back home. It didn’t take them long before they agreed, finding a small restaurant they considered safely far enough from the main road.

You stepped inside, finding the place practically empty besides someone in a booth to your left. The place was a rustic sort of style, with lacquered wood furniture and decor everywhere. You were all greeted at the door and led to a table - you deliberately chose a seat that’d let you stare at the stranger. From here, you got a better look. They were facing away from you, but you could tell they were a woman. She was totally buff too, her biceps noticeable without any flexing. Her hair was white, short and curly, done in a style that reminded you of a grandmother.

She’s looking down at something, but you couldn’t see what it is, and craning your head to get a look would get you noticed so you settled for imagining what it might be. Maybe the newspaper? Old people like to read that. Maybe she’s doing a crossword. Oh! She could be knitting! You picture her making a sweater with needles as heavy as dumbbells and almost burst into laughter.

Your choked noise drew her attention, even over the sound of your tables food arriving, and she turned to meet your eyes. You gasped. She didn’t look old enough to be a grandmother! Her black eyes met yours, amusement twinkling in the depths.

“What’re you looking at, kid?” Your parents looked up from their meals with a start, clearly not expecting the stranger to talk, or for you to reply.

“You.”

Your mother shushed you as the older woman laughed, a throaty cackle. “We’re so sorry about that. They,” your mother pinned you with a stern look, “Should know better than to stare.”

The woman waved away her concerns with a hand. A hand, you quickly spotted was missing 4 fingers, replaced with wood.  
“It’s fine, a little squirt staring at me isn’t the worst thing I’ve ever experienced, trust me.”

“Woah!” You gasped. “What happened to your hand?”

“Oh, this?” She held her hand out, flexing the fingers and turning it so you could see it all. “Pirates happened.”

“Pirates?” You questioned, mouth slightly full of food.

“Yep,” she smacked her lips with a ‘pop’. “Was a bit too clumsy, didn’t notice where the bast-... where the bad guy’s sword was going. Took them all off with one great swing. That’s what I get for venturing into the Grand Line I guess. Too damn old for it.”

She was awesome, you decided then and there. Taking on pirates? In the Grand Line? You’d heard stories on just how impossible it was to get there, and here was a woman who’d done just that. But, a thought was itching at the corners of your brain, and it was out of your lips before you were prepared to say it.

“Why were you fighting pirates? Did you win?”

The change in her face is subtle. A shift in her posture, a slight squinting of her eyes, her lips coming together. The look in her eyes pinned you to your chair, and for once, fear settled in your stomach.

“Of course I did.”

The door to the restaurant swung open with a loud bang and a new group of people walked through. Leading the charge is a man, beefy. “Excuse us, but do you have any room for my crew and I?”

Your father hissed under his breath, and you spotted your mother stiffening. The lady turned away from you, which struck you as odd.

The waitress led the man and his crew to a few tables, which they pulled together. In a short amount of time they’d taken over the place, with booze and food everywhere.

In the revelry, your parents attempted to take you and leave but the man snapped his fingers. “Don’t let us spoil your outing! Sit, eat!” He gestured to the platters laid out before him.

“Thank you, but we’ve just eaten and it’s time for our little one’s nap, so if you’ll be excusing us,” your mother spoke, hands clenching your shoulders tight. In any other circumstance you would’ve protested the idea of napping as childish, but with her nails digging into you hard enough to hurt, you stayed quiet.

The man laughed, a cheerful sound, and leant back in his seat. His cloak shifted, and for the first time you realised he was carrying. The revolver stood out against the rest of his clothes, and your heart raced. He patted it twice, his brown eyes never leaving your parents.

“I insist.”

They sat back down, defeated. The man beckoned you over with a finger, and your parents said nothing as you edged your way over, avoiding accidentally hitting any of his crew. He patted the seat next to him and you hopped up, nerves alight. It was easy to admit later that you were scared.

Up close, you noticed the way his short brown hair fell into his eyes like waves.  
“What’s your name, little one?”  
His voice is soft, kind. You told him. He nodded.  
“You from around here?”  
You shook your head and explained that you were here on a trip. Your voice barely carried over the noise of his crew, but he still managed to hear you.  
“What did you think of it?”  
You didn’t know how to answer that. He knew, because he elaborated.  
“The sea, little one, the sea! What did you think of it?”

Oh. Though the fear was still rampant, your expression brightened. It was easy to tell him what you thought of the sea, words spilling from your lips as easy as the breeze carried the gulls. You tell him of the way the waves crashing against the shore reminded you of your own heartbeat, how the colour of the sea was unlike anything you’d ever seen and that you hoped one day to be a strong enough swimmer to swim down and touch the sea floor.

“I love it,” is what you end with, and the man hummed, satisfied.  
“How old are you?”  
You tell him your age, seven. He clapped his hands together. “Then that settles it. We’ve been in need of a new cabin kid for a while now. Welcome aboard.”

Your mouth almost hit the floor. Your heartbeat spiked. There was no way you’d just been recruited into a pirate crew right? Right? His crew began to cheer, excited about someone new joining.

Both you and your parents tried to protest, but they fell on deaf ears, and when the pirate crew left the restaurant about half an hour later, they took you with them.

 

* * *

 

Months go by before you see that town again. As various members of the crew get to work leading the ship into the same port, the Quartermaster called your name. Your first few days on board had given you a very intense lesson on the way pirate ships operated, and after a few mishaps you’d learnt that Throri was not a woman to be crossed. If she yelled for you, you went.

You’d been cleaning the Captain’s quarters when you heard the shout. She still had a voice on her, even at 88 years old. She claimed to have known both Gold Roger and Whitebeard in their youth, but whether that was the truth remained to be seen. You folded the sheet you’d just stripped from the bed, leave it on the mattress and hurry out of the room. The Captain, Birlond, would understand why the room was left unclean if he spotted you with Throri.

You power-walk up the blonde, currently occupied with directing the crew’s docking. She didn’t need to, they knew how to operate the ship, but the reminder was helpful. She doesn’t see your approach, but heard the patter of your feet hitting the floor, and she waited. You know what she was waiting for. Before becoming a part of the crew, you’d never been on a ship. As a result, you’d been completely unaware of how it would feel to even stand on a boat while it moved with the sea. The first time you’d been on deck, you slipped. Same with the second. And third.

Though it’s been months since you were unaccustomed to the ways of ocean life, she still waited to see if you fell. It was embarrassing at this point.

“Did you call for me?”

“You know I did.”

There was a pause, the sound of the ocean and the rest of the crew filling the moment. Only when the ship was finally docked, did she start speaking again.

“I want you to be the one to head into town and order supplies. I have a list here,” she extended a clipboard your way. You took it. “It’ll tell you everything we need. Take as many men as you see necessary, they’ll carry it back.”

It was a surprise. Throri never allowed the other crew members to take on some of her role as Quartermaster. She never willingly delegated any task, seeing it as someone trying to insult her capabilities. Was she ill now? Was that why she was giving you this? You’d have to ask the Captain later, well out of her earshot.

An hour later, you were walking through the town with a tightness in your chest and water in your eyes. If anyone asked, you’d blame it on the salt in the air. The streets hadn’t changed much in the few months you’d been gone.

Though the months at sea had been new, exciting and terrifying at the same time, you missed your parents. You hadn’t wanted to leave. You wondered what they were doing now, whether they missed you.

You shook your head, rubbing away the unspoiled tears with an arm. There was no point in dwelling on it now, that chapter in your life was over, and you’d probably never see them again. As much as the thought hurt, it was the truth.

You glance down at the clipboard. The first item on the checklist was various crates of fruit, such as apples and oranges. Time to find a grocery.

It wasn’t difficult to find one, a small painted store on the side of the main road. Though the white paint was weathered and chipped in some places, the door didn’t squeak as you entered, instead jingling from the bell at the top. The man behind the counter greeted you cheerfully, and you smiled out of politeness. Walking further in, the bell kept ringing as the men you had chosen to come with you followed.

The man’s eyes flickered towards them, and his expression dropped momentarily. They looked very well like the pirates they were in comparison to you. What the man didn’t know was that they were unarmed, unlike you.  
Throri had taught you how to use a revolver, and you weren’t allowed up on deck without it. Naturally, you took it with you everywhere.

“Excuse me sir, can I have, uh...”  
You looked back down at the clipboard and listed off all the items you could get here, and the man is focused on you once more.

“That’s a big order you’ve got there. You sure you’ll be able to carry all of that?”

You don’t look up. “We’ll manage.”  
He laughed, a halfhearted sound.

It took nearly all day to collect the supplies you needed, but you managed. By the end of it, your feet ached with a passion. All you wanted was to rest them up on a seat and nap the evening away, however your Captain decided to take the crew on a pub crawl.

That included you. You find yourself back in the same restaurant you’d visited months ago, this time, without your blood family. The pirates were as rowdy as ever, and you found a quieter corner to nurse your glass of juice (Throri ensured no one ever tried to give you alcohol, or they’d face her wrath).

You were sipping away, content, when a familiar figure sauntered through the doors, one that had anger fill your veins. It was that woman from before, the one who claimed she’d fought pirates on the Grand Line. The one who should’ve been able to save you from your predicament. The one that didn’t. She let you go. You locked eyes for a second before you glanced elsewhere, determined not to interact with her like before.

Though you don’t look, you hear her footsteps pass you, creaking the floorboards until they come to a halt. “You’re Captain Birlond, of the Birlond Pirates right?” She asked.

“I sure am,” he responded.  
“You have a bounty of 1125 Berries. I came to collect.” The room went deathly silent.

Everything happened so quickly after that. Throri pulled out her gun and fired directly at the woman. With the gunfire ringing in your ears you watch as the woman somehow managed to avoid the gunshot and aimed a well-placed kick in Throri’s direction. Her foot caught Throri in the face, sending her flying across the room and taking a few others with her. She landed on a table with a sickening crack.

Birlond came forward with a roar, swinging his sizeable fist at the woman, who side-stepped out of the way. She moved like it was easy, dodging every move he made. She leapt onto the table, hooking a chair with her foot and slamming it right into Birlond.

The rest of the crew had been trying to swarm the lady but it didn’t slow her down as she sent them in all directions. You had to dodge out of the way as one of the Powder Monkeys came at you, flung back by a particularly hard punch. He crashed right into the booth you’d been sitting in. You avoided the blood that splattered across the floor.

Throri rose from her spot, blood oozing from a wound on her head you couldn’t see. All the while, the woman was unflinchingly continuing her barrage on Birlond, every attack hitting the man hard. Throri cursed under her breath. She stood, gun still in her hand.

When she fired again, the woman grabbed Birlond by the arm and pulled him forward. You watched, stuck in place as the bullet sank into his gut.  
He didn’t move, as red seeped through his clothing and dripped onto the floor. The woman released her hold and he tumbled to the floor.

His eyes hadn’t closed, so they stared blankly ahead from his current resting place, right at you. It was like he was looking right at you, yet not seeing anything. To say it unnerved you would be putting it lightly. You wanted to run and never look back.

“You’re lucky the bounty is for dead or alive,” the woman stepped down from the table, boots hitting the floor with a wet squelch. “Otherwise I’d be pretty pissed at you right now.”

Throri, finally realising what she’d done, screamed. She threw her gun unceremoniously onto the floor and rushed at the woman. Throri went down hard as the woman connected her fist with Throri’s jaw, her chest and nose in a flurry of movement.

Throri landed, a dull thump of a noise, and the place was quiet once more. The wait staff had already evacuated, leaving just you and the woman as the only people still conscious.

Your hands shaking, you reach for your revolver. The woman had a smile on her face, that doesn’t fade even as you point the gun in her direction.  
“Good to see you still kicking, kid,” she nudged Birlond’s head with her foot, until he was lying face down. “Considering what happened to their last cabin kid, I’m surprised you lasted this long. You must be a hard worker.”

“Why?” Your voice was weak and shaky.  
“Huh?” She frowned.  
“Why did you kill them?”

She snorted, reaching down to heft Birlond onto her back, the stench of his recent corpse assaulting your nose.

“Only one of them is dead and it isn’t because of me,” she replied. “As for the why. It’s simple. They’re pirates, with a bounty for their arrest. I get a nice bit of money if I bring them in.”

“But if you’re strong enough to take them down, then couldn’t you have before now?!” Your voice rose in pitch, borderline hysterical. Everything felt like it was pressing down on you, and you didn’t even know how you were feeling. Your heartbeat pounded in your ears, you could feel it thump-thump-thump away.

“I could’ve.” She conceded. “But what would’ve been the point? They didn’t have a bounty then, I wouldn’t have gotten anything for it.”

“You would’ve saved me.” You were crying now, tears falling freely. “I never would’ve been made a pirate.”

“And why would I do that?” You stay silent. “Life isn’t easy. You can’t live it as a person who just lets it happen. When this guy,” she jostled Birlond, “took you, you might’ve said something about it, but you weren’t willing to fight for it. Neither you nor your parents were ready to stand up for yourselves. Ultimately, you let yourself be taken. I don’t fight for people who refuse to fight for themselves.” She jerked her head in the direction of Throri.

“So kid, what are you going to do now? You can either pick the old hag up and come with me, or you can leave.”

“But I’m a pirate! You can’t ask me to help you!”

She laughed. “One without a bounty, so as far as the world’s concerned, you’re completely unknown. So are you coming or not? We’ll need to get them to the closest Marine Headquarters before rigor mortis sets in.”

You approach the unconscious body of Throri, steps softly echoing around the room. You lean over, getting a closer look at the woman you’d spent the past months learning everything you knew now from. Could you betray her? Blood dripped from your hair, landing onto her golden skin.

“I’m not going to pretend it’ll be easy. I’ll put you through hell and back, kid. But when you come out of it, you’ll be capable of saving people like you from pirates around the globe.”

You exhaled long and slow, slipping your eyes shut. She was a pirate after all. A criminal. She took to the seas knowing it would make her a lot of enemies. She knew, better than you the way the world operated. Could she really get mad at you for taking this opportunity laid before you?

Without a word, you crouch down and lift one of Throri’s arms, laying it across your shoulder. You held her other arm with your hand, placing it on your other shoulder and rose. You lift her barely, the weight of her frame almost too much for you - even after your months at sea helping to manage the sails, Throri was still a woman more defined in muscle mass than you, and very heavy to handle.

She groaned, but didn’t wake. The woman laughed again as you approached her with careful steps, the lower half of Throri dragging on the floor.

“You made a good decision right there. Keep going, and you might be the one to bring down the next Gold Roger one day.” She inclined her head towards your back. “If the old girl there starts to wake, let me know. I’ll take care of it. Let’s go then.”

You nodded, mouth set in a firm line.

“By the way, my name’s Alice. Alice Caskbow. Don’t forget it now, since we’re partners.”

The pair of you leave the restaurant, and you enter a new life. One of new freedom, and the allure of treasure. You were now a Bounty Hunter, and you were going to find your future, by clipping the wings of others.

 

* * *

 

Ten years later, and you’re out in open sea, on a ship flying a pirate flag. At first glance you might appear to be one of the crew to outsiders, but the various comatose individuals strewn about the deck of the ship would say otherwise. They hadn’t been particular hard to beat, now that you thought about it. Oh well. Money was money.

You managed to find a chair that looked particularly comfortable in the Captain’s quarters, and you brought it up deck to relax in with the intent of riding the current into the next town and finding the closest Marine Headquarters to deposit your latest catches to.

If only you’d known, you were just starting your real journey as you drift upon that calm sea, the East Blue.


	2. Being good sucks sometimes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No beta readers, we cope with shitty writing like men.

The breeze was sweet, enough to move your ship without issue and carry the familiar salty smell of the sea towards you. You made yourself comfortable in that seat, the sound of the gulls flying above you letting you know land was close by. You pulled out from one of your pockets a small stack of reward posters - these were your bread and butter, the easiest way to find people worthy of taking down. You flipped through them, checking if any of the pirates you’d took care of matched, and when they did you plucked their reward poster from the pile and made a new one. It was easier to work out the money when you weren’t constantly flipping back through it.

By the end of your calculations, once you brought these guys in you’d get a reward total of about 9340 Berries. Still chump change, but enough to get you a nice place to sleep and some good food. 

You’d heard rumours of a bigger bounty to be found in these waters, and truthfully you hoped to run into her - Miss “Iron Club” Alvida, current Captain of the Alvida Pirates. Her bounty right now was a rich 5,000,000 Berries, and would set you well. If only you’d gotten the information on where she frequented. 

Well, with this weather it wasn’t like you could miss her if she passed by. Barely any clouds meant the sun was well and truely shining in the sky. 

Land appeared on the horizon, but a quick glance at your map confirmed it wasn’t the coastal town you were looking for. In fact, there didn’t really seem to be anything interesting there. With a shrug, you rose and adjusted your course at the helm. 

You were going to simply pass it by, when a distant shout caught your attention. You jumped in place, head snapping to the shore. There were a few figures, hopping on the sand and waving their arms in your direction. To their right was a ship, decked out in cartoon shaped hearts and a Jolly Roger flag. Pirates. A smile spread across your face. 

Oh, if only they knew who you were.   
Your reputation was nothing compared to someone like Roronoa Zoro, but you put in work. 

“Hey, you there! Hey! We need your help please!” 

Briefly, you wondered why they thought they were entitled to request aid from some random ship before almost slapping your hand to your forehead at your stupidity. You were on a pirate ship, flying a pirate flag. Of course they’d think you’d help them. They think you’re one of them. 

“Make way!” You cry out. “I’m coming in!” You sharply turned the boat, a few of your current captures sliding across the deck, thankfully still dead to the world. It’d be hard to get yourself out of a full blown fight between two whole pirate crews. 

You drop your anchor once you reach the shore, but withhold the rope ladder you’d use to climb down or up the ship. Instead, you walk back down to the deck and peer over the side of the ship. You weren’t going to let these pirates see what you’d done to their brothers in arms. 

It was a questionable move, but one that paid off. The men down below were too tired and relieved to suspect anything. 

“What’s going on down there?” 

“It’s our captain!” One of the men shouted up at you. “She’s been hurt, bad!”   
She? You perked up at the mention. Not many pirates tend to be female, but all the ones that are make up for their lack of appearances with sheer grit. Every female pirate aren’t ones to be messed with lightly. 

She probably had a great bounty. 

But if medical attention was what they needed, you definitely don’t have the knowledge to help. Or the ability to fake it well enough. You’d have to think- and quickly. 

You turn away, eyes scanning your unconscious hostages. One of these guys was a doctor, weren’t they? You run through your mental list. Yes, one absolutely was. 

“I’ll be right back! I think our doctors asleep. Drank too much,” you send a knowing grin their way over your shoulder (one they return) and locate the doctor. This’ll be risky, but when are your plans not? 

The doctor on board this ship was young, mid twenties, according to your info and blind. You’d taken her out gently in comparison to the rest of the crew, since she’d proven she was incapable of being a threat when she tried to swing a blade in your direction and missed. She didn’t even have a bounty. 

You kneel down and clamp a hand over her mouth. If she screamed she’d ruin the entire operation. It took a few shakes before she regained consciousness, and when she did she tried to fling herself away from you, a yell muffled by your hand. 

“Listen,” you hissed at her, voice kept low, “I’m not looking to hurt you. There’s a way you’ll get out of this injury-free, but you have to go along with it, alright?” 

She nodded, slow and deliberate. 

“Good. I’m going to move my hand away now. You scream, and I’ll kill you.” 

She blinked, but doesn’t otherwise move. You peeled your hand away from her mouth slowly, watching her for any intent to start shouting. Her green, unseeing eyes stared into yours. 

“There’s a pirate here who needs your medical attention. If you help them, without mentioning who I am or what I’ve done to your old crew, I’ll let you go free. The marines don’t have to know you were even involved.” 

“Do I have your word?” Is what she asked after a moment of contemplation.   
You nodded, then felt like the largest jackass alive.   
“Yes,” you coughed out. “I swear to you, I won’t take you in.”   
“And what of the pirate I’m meant to help? Will you shackle them as soon as I’m finished?” There is heat to the end of her sentence, she spoke with barely suppressed hatred. 

That was fine. You didn’t need to explain anything to her. She made to sit up, and you let her, leaning back on your calves.   
“I won’t. Kinda defeats the purpose of letting you go with them if I’m taking the captain with me.” 

“You want me to work on their captain?!” She sounded surprised. She swallowed harshly, her pink hand coming up to pick at her scalp. 

“I’m sure they’ll pay you quite well for it.” You place your hands on your knees and stand. “So you’ll do it?” 

“Yeah.”   
“Good.”   
You moved to help her up, but she slapped your hand away. You shrugged and stood back. It didn’t hurt you at all.

She does however, allow you to lead her back to where the pirates were waiting for the both of you. At your reappearance, their moods seemed to brighten, especially as they trailed to the woman you brought with you. They could clearly see the doctor’s coat she wore. 

“Sorry for the wait guys,” you shouted as you threw the ladder over the side of the ship. “She told me to fuck off at first, thought I was old Son looking for something for his syphilis.” 

The men below chuckled, someone feeling the need to out some of their own crew-mates for something similar. You directed the doctor to the ladder, but before she climbed down she spoke, quietly enough that only you could hear. “They think you’re a pirate?” She scoffed at you, but you just snickered.  
“Listen, they might not be very smart but will I hold that against them? Nah.” 

She ignored your offer of help once again, her jaw set tight as she descended.   
You, perhaps spurred by her rejection and feeling the need to show off (even if she couldn’t see it), leapt onto the taffrail and jumped off.

The fall was quick. You landed in knee deep saltwater, the impact running up your legs and through your muscles. It wasn’t painful, you’d trained for far too long to have such a slight plunge send you to a hospital. The wet sand beneath you buckled under your sudden weight and you almost slipped, having to awkwardly swing yourself around to right your body. Thank God for your sense of balance. Anything less and you would’ve fell on your ass in front of all these people.

Speaking of, the men of this pirate crew were too preoccupied to notice your blunder. They surrounded the doctor and were helping her off the ladder. She probably told them about her vision situation. Shit. Did that mean they thought you were a prick for not helping her off? 

You hightailed it over there, their combined strength enough to lift the skinny, short woman clear above the water. When you got closer though, you noticed she was clearly displeased with her situation, face tight and jaw clenched. 

“You good up there?”

She turned her head and glared in your direction as one of the men looked your way. He was holding her up by her left arm, no strain evident in the way he walked or spoke. 

“We can’t be letting the only doctor around hurt themselves before they get to the Captain!”   
The other men agreed, murmuring and nodding their sentiments as they led the doctor out of the water and onto the sand. Once on dry land she wriggled and thrashed in place until they let her go, telling them she could walk herself from there. 

“My name is Atheena McKinnon, and I’m a doctor.”  
Ah. You realised you never asked for her name. She adjusted her clothes, ruffled by the walk here.   
“Lead the way to the patient, and give me a brief rundown of what occurred,” she pointed as she began to move, stomping her way through the sand. The men follow in a hurry, you right at their heels. You were certain Atheena had no clue where she was going. 

She was lucky, with simple wooden buildings stationed a mere few steps in front of her. They also carried the same Jolly Roger, a skull turned to the side with a cartoon heart right behind the empty eye socket. 

So, this was their base of operations then. Interesting. 

One of the buildings was completely destroyed, a mess of wood splintered everywhere. You wondered what destroyed it. 

“W-well, our cabin boy Coby brought some kid in with a red vest and a straw-hat and he,” the man swallowed, glancing around. Did he think the two of them were lurking around the corner somewhere, ready to appear at any second?  
“He, beat her up. Bad.” 

The men led the two of you away from their base and into the forest. It wasn’t a long walk at all, before you caught sight of their captain and almost screamed. 

Because you knew who that woman, passed out on the ground was - she was Captain Alvida, and she was worth so much fucking money. You reached the clearing she was in, noting she must’ve been moved, considered she was resting on a makeshift mattress her men must’ve fashioned for her. 

She was out cold, blood seeping steadily from her mouth and pooling onto the bedding. She was just as intimidating looking as her reward picture implied, her sizeable frame displaying the amount of weight she could throw around. She was a bigger girl yes, but underneath laid pure muscle.

You glanced at the giant mace by her side - that thing would take you two hands to wield, and she managed it with one hand. Yeah, without a doubt, only now would be your chance to capture her.

But a familiar shade of red crossed your vision. While you stood there contemplating, Atheena had knelt before Alvida, hands prodding at her face with practiced ease. 

Shit.   
You promised Atheena you wouldn’t.   
It was so much cash, though! Think of all the things you could buy with that kind of money. Nicer food, new clothes, a cleaner place to stay for a little while, and those were just some basics her kind of bounty would bring in.   
Still.   
Would you betray a blind girl’s trust to satisfy your own desires? If you failed at subduing Alvida in this condition, you’d be left with an angry crew and an even angrier Alvida on your hands. 

Atheena located the source of the bleeding, the one Alvida’s crew nicknamed “Strawhat boy” had punched her hard enough to cause her to bite down on her own tongue, severing part of it, leading the bleeding. Atheena was barking orders at the crew like she’d worked for them for years, directing them exactly how she wanted. 

Fuck. As much as you wanted to, you couldn’t go back on your words. You’d promised her freedom, and freedom you would give her. There would be another time to catch Alvida and bring her in.   
Maybe. 

With a wince at your own good nature, you slipped away, heading back down for your ship. You still needed to get those bastards into Shell Town and straight into the Marines Base, for those sweet funds.

You reached the ship and start the climb up the ladder. Once at the top you’re blindsided by a well-thrown punch that almost had you letting go of the ladder.

Well that’s just great, you thought to yourself. Some, or all, of the men on board this ship are waking up. Fantastic. Rolling with the punch, you let yourself swing back, but hold tight. 

“You know,” you commented as your head righted itself, “I really wouldn’t have done that if I were you.” 

You send the one who hit you a glare and swing your lower half to the right, using your hands to direct and propel yourself over the edge of the ship. You lifted your right hand and continued to push yourself with your left until your legs cleared the side and landed flat on the deck of the ship. 

They’d moved back in light of your sudden vault, but not far enough to keep themselves clear out of your range.

You lifted your right leg and lash out, sweeping their feet out from under them in a low manoeuvre, and while they’re falling, grasp the back of their head with both of your hands and direct it towards your eager and waiting knee.

You heard and feel the snap at the same time of some of their facial bones caving in. Nose and cheekbones probably. Maybe the jaw too. 

They collapsed on the deck, face first. Good. You didn’t really want to see your own handiwork. 

You faced some of the other pirates who began to wake, a smile blooming across your face and your knuckles cracking, “Do any of you wanna go for a second round too?” 

There was no reply. With a chuckle, your steps are the only thing carried on the air, besides the creaking of the ship and the waves. You raised the anchor and set off.

Nothing was going to stop you from getting your hard-earned money.   
Nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you’re expecting a consistent update schedule, I’m going to disappoint you. Sorry.


	3. 0w0 who’s this??

Back at sea, and well on your way once more you’re in a decidedly happier mood. Yeah, it does suck you didn’t get to bag a catch like Alvida, but there’s always a badder pirate to grab somewhere out there in the world.

Your mind drifted towards what Alvida’s crew had told you. A kid in a red vest and straw-hat was able to take down someone like her. Were they a pirate themselves? You hadn’t heard of anyone with that kind of description, so most likely not.

Were they another bounty hunter? Were they new competition? You clenched your fists. You weren’t going to lose to them.

Wait. If they had been a bounty hunter they would’ve taken Alvida in.

Hm. 

Who the hell were they? 

It was unlikely they headed there, but just in case, you’d keep your eyes peeled for someone matching that description at your destination. At the very least, you’d get a good story out of them.

 

* * *

 

In barely any time at all, you’d arrived at the port of Shells Town. The pirates on board didn’t try to run for freedom, even when you went below deck to collect some rope. Apparently the sight of their fellow crew member’s drying blood on your knee was enough to keep them placid. 

Cowards. It was smart, sure, but no fun at all. They let you tie them up, binding their wrists together with smaller coils and attaching them to a longer piece of rope you held tight in your hands. You led them procession-like, trailing behind you off the ship and into the town.

Shells Town was a smaller coastal town, most of its economy coming from travellers passing through with their coin. Numerous small shops littered the area around you, all painted in light colours. The sun had paled the majority of them, but they were still pleasing to the eye. They could go a little longer without needing a paint job.

People, locals and strangers alike, didn’t give you and your catches much attention. Maybe a passing glance, maybe more than that, but they were the minority. Most went on with their lives after scanning you up and down. You figured a bounty hunter bringing in pirates lost its novelty after a while.

Not for you though. Anticipation was buzzing in your veins. Another successful run to add to your record and more money for your bank account. You felt like a live wire, coiled and ready. You could beat up all these pirates two times over and not break a sweat, it felt like.

You squeezed the rope. Save that energy for later.

The marine base isn’t difficult at all to find, with it rising clear above the rest of Shells Town. You haven’t ever been a fan of the design, with its bulky cylindrical shape. Looked like a god-damn factory chimney top, with fancy paint thrown over the top of it. Where was the style, the aesthetic of it all?  Even the buildings you passed now, outdated and all were more appealing to the eyes. This wouldn’t be the first time you were relieved you weren’t a marine.

Plastered to the side of one of these buildings were a collection of notices. They drew your attention quickly, and you slowed your pace to read them all. One detailed the arrest of - you frowned. Surely you read that wrong somehow. You rubbed at your eyes and looked again. No, it was still there. In bold lettering and bright colours was a notice about the arrest of the one named Roronoa Zoro, and where he was currently being held.

You didn’t know Zoro, you wouldn’t pretend to make the claim you were colleagues even if you worked in the same career, but still. You’d heard enough about him, from others who would claim they worked with him, or saw him in action, and they’d all say the same thing - that man was a beast in battle, with a hatred of surrender. Whether you believed all the stories you heard was another thing entirely. Some of them had to be lying.

Still, for someone like him to have been arrested, what the hell did he do? And how did the marines even take him down? How strong were they? The notice mentioned that Zoro caused a public disturbance that upset the peace of the region. What the fuck did that mean?

In layman’s terms, he upset the marines big-time. 

So, no pissing off the marines this time around. You could manage that. Probably. 

The next notice clued you in to who run the marines base you were about to walk into, which was always good information to have. Marines loved it when you made them believe their reputation was growing, or at least the ones who had more experience behind the desks did. If you couldn’t give them a simple greeting with their name attached to it, they were far less likely to put up with your mouth. Captain ‘Axehand’ Morgan, it said. Huh.

Was he called that because he used an axe as his default weapon? Most likely.

You’d see soon enough. 

You reached the metal gates of the base not long afterward, with the sun beating down on your back. The gate was a typical design, with a high fence broken only by two doors on either side of the entrance gate. Behind those two doors, should someone be stupid enough to try busting their way through them, were officers on guard duty, itching to shoot at anything they pleased to kill their boredom.

You knocked on one of the doors, and heard the displeased grumble of a marine nearby. The marine popped into view within seconds, their eyes squinted at you. Either they had a vision problem, or they were seriously unimpressed with your appearance. “What’s your business here, civilian?”

You’d roll your eyes if you thought you could get away with it, but this marine looked inclined to shoot you on site for it.

“I’ve got some cargo I wanna drop off,” you plastered on a fake smile, pointing a thumb at your captives. The marine made a confused noise and leaned in a little to see through the opening in the door.

“Oh.” His expression darkened. You get the feeling he doesn’t like your kind. “Yeah, you can bring ‘em in, as long as that’s all you’re doing.” The look he threw your way was pure acid. “We don’t need anyone coming in here just to gawk at Roronoa.”

You? Never. You waved your hand in what you thought was a pretty dismissive manner. “Nah, I’m just here to get my payment and bounce, good sir. I wasn’t even aware the guy was here.”

The guy made a grunt like he doesn’t really believe you but didn’t care enough to comment further, which was fair. “Also,” he added while he started fiddling with the lock. “This is an important day for the Captain. You’d do well finishing up here quickly. He’s stressed enough as it is.”

You nodded. You get the message. Get out as quickly as possible or you’ll find your ass beat.

With that marine giving a call to the marine manning the other door, the gates opened up, gracing you with a full view of the grounds of this particular marine base. Damn. It was pretty shit, in your opinion. The actual ground of the place seemed to be mostly dirt, with the grass to be found in patchy clumps spread throughout. Decide - no grass or grass, because the way it looked right now was pitiful.

You nodded politely at the marine you’d been speaking to as you enter. He, on the other hand looked away from you, pretending he hadn’t seen you. Rude. You thought you’d been doing well.

It’s hard to miss Zoro. With nothing but the buildings as the other constructions located behind the gates, he stood out. They had him strapped to a plain wooden imitation of a cross, with measly rope to hold him there, in the clear centre of the place. This didn’t feel like discipline. This was something else. This was cruel, even for marine standards. The man only had his bandana to block the sun from his head, and it couldn’t do anything to protect the parts of him exposed to the elements. In a few hours he’d burn.

Even tied down he looked dangerous. As you near, the trail of pirates at your heels, he lifted his head, and his eyes fell on you. You reacted to this situation the way you always did when you were nervous, with humour.

“Well, you’re just a little bit fucked aren’t you?”

There’s a small silence, but it was long enough for you to regret every choice you’d ever made up until that moment. His expression doesn’t change, until, one corner of his mouth begins to curve upwards and you heard a noise you honestly never thought you’d hear - his laughter. It wasn’t loud in the slightest, he didn’t move at all by the force of it, it was a mere chuckle, but it was there. You made it happen.

It lasted for a scant few seconds before leaving.

“Yeah, I just might be.” His voice was rough, as though it had fallen into disuse as of late, but god. That pitch. You’d kill for a voice that low. You’re thoroughly envious (and maybe just slightly attracted to the guy, hey who can blame you?).

“I’ll see you around, Roronoa. Try not to die in the meantime, okay?”

“It’s not like I’m going anywhere, uh. You.”

You snorted as you left him where he was, not bothering to tell him your name. It wasn’t like you were going to see him again any time soon.

A sign to the right of him detailed a clear warning. ‘Anyone who helps a prisonerwill be charged with the same crime, Marine Captain Morgan’ and it didn’t take a scientist to tell you what that meant. 

A colleague he might be, but you weren’t getting crucified for him, no way.

Well, time to get your money.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My thirst for the stupid swordsman leapt out here, whoops.


End file.
